005..

~~Indigo~~

“I still think it’s a bad idea that you came to the lakehouse in the first place.” Emily, in her usual way, berates me. “You know clearly how you feel about him and how he’s led you on for years–”

“I just–”

“I’m not done speaking,” she interrupts coldly. “He left you hanging in the middle of nowhere that one time when your car broke down on the road because he was in the middle of something urgent.”

“Because he was! I’ve told you, Brax would never intentionally hurt me. He’s the reason why I have my sanity intact after the demise of my parents.”

I thread my fingers through my hair as I recall my desperate act to get him to look at me as more than just a sister. Heck, we aren’t in any way related by blood. So why wouldn’t he just LOOK?

“I can’t live without Brax. I can’t. Therapy didn’t work and I don’t think anything else will. I saved myself for him and it’ll only be with him. Nobody else.”

She freezes, lipstick in hand and eyes pinned on my reflection in the mirror before turning around.

“So in hindsight, you sabotaged all the dates I set up because of one man who you were too chicken to explain how you feel?”

The ascent of her tone makes me shrink back in my seat, fiddling with my fingers instead of looking right at her.

“I’m sorry?”

“I think what you need right now is an exorcism, then good sex right after with a man who knows how to keep you hypnotized with some good loving.”

Emily smacks her lips one last time in front of the mirror and rises to her feet.

Her words blur out of hearing as memories begin to flood in. What stopped me from telling him how I felt about him? What stops me even now? They’re not married. Yet.

There’s still more than enough time to salvage the situation.

“Yes! I got it.” Shooting up to my feet, I throw my suitcase open and dig into it for the outfit I’d be wearing for tonight’s party. “You’re a darling, Em.”

The red dress? No, the black one. Brax did pick this one two weeks ago. If I play my cards right, he’ll realize the mistake he’s about to plunge himself into by marrying Bianca.

“Uh, what are you doing?”

Flashing her an incredulous look, I laugh. “Coming to the party, silly. What else?”

“Hello?” She snaps her fingers in my face. “What happened to not going to the party and telling Teresa you caught a stomach bug?” Then her expression softens as she takes my hands. “I don’t know what ideas you have in mind, but you need to let it go.”

Her words only tickle me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m only coming along to have fun and reclaim what I know is mine. You don’t have to worry your beautiful head about it.”

But with the squint of her eyes at me, I can tell she doesn’t buy my lies. Who cares what she thinks about it? If you want to do hard things, you’ve got to do it the hard way.

That’s what I’m going to do.

There’s a knock on the door just as Emily opens her mouth to speak. When she goes to answer it, I hear male voices outside the door.

They must be Brax’s cousins, her date to the dinner.

I decide to change in the bathroom in case they decide to walk in.

By the time I’m out, makeup done and hair in place, I look stunning. I head to the dresser where my phone is, then decide one more swab of lipstick won’t hurt and I get the shock of my life.

Whirling around, I snap, “who let you in here?”

Slade pushes off the bed and prowls over, watching my reflection in the mirror with a hunger so palpable in his eyes. If his lips weren’t closed, he’d be drooling.

This gives me the boost of confidence I need. If it worked on the wrong brother, the right one would be licking my heels by the time he sets his eyes on me.

His eyebrow go up in curiosity. “What are you doing all of this for? By the way, isn’t this the dress you wore when Brax decided he’d rather spend the rest of his life with another woman who isn’t you? And you're wearing tthe dress again? Bold move! What’s the plan, a magic spell to make him notice you this time?”

And by God, those words slap me so hard that my confidence plummets down to the depths of hades. “Do you have a problem with me? Are you such a sadomasochist that putting me down makes you feel better about your miserable life? Does draining happiness from a room keep you sane?”

“Keep your claws in, tiger. You’re fighting a lost battle if you ask me–”

“For the umpteenth time, nobody gives a fuck what you think. Stop hovering around me like moth to a flame. I don’t want you appearing and fucking up things for me like you did earlier today.”

“It’s not my fault I want to be consumed by your flame.” He releases that sickeningly, dangerous smirk, stepping closer until his chest brushes against my back. “Besides, your plan to make Brax jealous worked, didn’t it? I usually don’t offer my services free and yet I did for you.”

I take in two deep breaths to steady myself before I explode.

“Well, bad news because all you have done is fuck things up and made them worse. All I’m set to do now is right my mistake.”

His hands go around my waist and spin me until I’m tilting my neck further up to look into his face. “It’s not by throwing yourself at him like a loose woman. Condescension isn’t a very good look on you, cupcake.”

I spit at his face before I can control it. “Fuck you and what you think. Get off me.”

“Listen close, Blondie… take your moment, chase your second rejection. Because when it happens, and it will—you’ll be in my arms before the night is over, begging for what you swore you didn’t want.”

Shrugging his filthy hands off, I march out of the room. The nerve of him to think I'm an attention-seeking bitch because I plan to get back my man.

I don’t care what Emily or anyone thinks. Brax has always been mine and I’m not about to let a bully with inferiority complex change that.

~~

The party is in full swing by the time I arrive in the yard. If there’s anything I pride myself in the most, it’s the ability to take a bare strip of land and transform it into the most whimsical fantasy.

From the string lights, to the ribbons and themes used, everything looks perfect. So what on earth is Brax searching for in a woman that I don’t possess?

Does he need me to dance naked before he realizes what he’s about to lose?

Just as I think those words, his laughter rings out to my hearing. He’s with a circle of friends and on his arm is Bianca who nods and smiles as though she’s the perfect angel.

I walk over, confident and graceful in my movement as I tap his shoulder.

He turns immediately, face lighting up when he sees me and notices the dress. Score one. “You look…amazing.”

“So do you.” I say, patting his cheek lovingly like I used to. I rest on the woman by his side whose smile still radiates. It’d be a pleasure to wipe that off her face.

“That dress…” she narrows her eyes at it, perhaps trying to juggle her memory. “You do look stunning,” she confesses at last.

I crack a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes before focusing my attention on Brax. “I need to speak to you.”

His smile wanes a little. “Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Mine grows bigger when I sense his worry. “No, I’m fine. I just need to tell you something really important.”

He nods, motioning for me to go on.

“In private,” I point out, looking at Bianca in the obvious way that points out she’s the intruder to our love story.

“Bianca is going to be my wife soon, making us one. You can say what you want to, she’s no stranger.”

Bianca looks away, smiling to herself. The sight alone sets fire to my blood.

If that’s the case…

“Why does it have to be her?” I blurt out suddenly. “For decades I’ve loved and kept myself for only you, compromised on things I never thought I would for you, bent over backwards just to please only you, and you’d pick Bianca over me?”

Clearing her throat, Bianca slips her hand out of Brax’s, much to my satisfaction. “Perhaps, this indeed is a private discussion.”

“Wait, baby–” but she’s already walked into the throng of people, out of earshot. Brax turns to me with irritation. “What the hell are you trying to do? Did Slade put you up to this?”

“No! This is all me.” Taking a step forward, I cradle his face in my palms. “You still don’t realize how much I’ve loved you and still do. Everytime you look at her that way, it breaks my heart.”

He jerks out of my touch. “Stop it, Indie. Stop, okay? You’re acting so desperately it’s repulsing. How did it take you several decades to see that you love me? When I decided to be with Bianca?”

“You never told me about her cos you knew I wouldn’t approve of her. Who in his sane mind would choose to marry the bully of his best friend?”

“I SAID STOP!” He yells furiously. His eyes bleed with anger as he looks at me. This isn’t Brax. This is a total stranger. “If you’d bother to make any friendly interactions with Bianca, you’d know how much she’s changed. She regrets doing those things she did to you.”

“Still you’d pick her over me? Can’t you see she’s the villain in our love story? She only wants what I want which is you.” By now, tears are streaming down my cheeks, despite the small crowd now tuned in. “I love you, Braxton,” I whisper helpless.

Like he’s regarding a filthy rag, Braxton looks me over. “You’re embarrassing yourself, Indie. Wipe those tears and get yourself together. Try not to ruin my happiness while at it.”

With those words, he walks away, leaving the iciness of his hateful glare in his wake.